Name: Unknown quantity : a real and imagined history of Algebra
SKU: bhs18
Price: 350.00 ZAR
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Unknown quantity : a real and imagined history of Algebra

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South Africa

Product code

bhs18

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642449348

Published by Atlantic Books, 2007 hardtcover, index, 374 pages ,condition: new.

According to Wikipedia, there are 13 branches of math, 6 of which fall into the realm of pure mathematics. Algebra is just one of these. So is there any merit in reading a book about history of this small corner of the mathematical universe? Of course, this is a large understatement on part of algebra it definitely is not a small corner of math. On the contrary, it perhaps the largest and the most interconnected field of it. But it is still not whole of it, right? Why not go for some general math history book? Surely, there are better historians than John Derbyshire outside there?

These were the thoughts on my head when I picked up Unknown Quantity. Having finished the book, I have answer to these questions, all in favor of the infamous author, alongside with countless questions unanswered despite hours of enterprise. This book is by no means an alternative for math history. If you read it with this expectation in your mind, then you might not get much out of this book. It is a history of algebra. Not mathematics. Period.

Now about the aforementioned question. Is this book worth to read? It is, if you are interested in history of algebra or algebra or mathematics in general. This book introduced me to completely new fields of mathematics and taught me a great deal about their connections.
I am not quite sure who fascinated me more Derbyshire or the topic itself. There is not much to say about algebra it is trulyfascinating. Derbyshire is an excellent writer, too: witty and as simple as it gets, as if trying not to confuse readers who are already baffled by algebra.

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